UCONN FOOTBALL: Huskies prepare for their biggest game yet

Chip Malafronte

Published 12:00 am, Tuesday, December 14, 2010

STORRS -- UConn coach Randy Edsall said one of the turning points for the Huskies came in the days after a 26-0 loss at Louisville, when he decided to stop coaching the team's safeties and focus on his duties as head coach.

Just before preseason training camp, Edsall informed secondary coach Darrell Perkins that he would coach the safeties while Perkins would focus exclusively on the cornerbacks. UConn was young and struggling at safety, and Edsall, a former defensive backs coach in the NFL, felt he could help an area of concern.

"I had to some evaluation myself," Edsall said. "After the Louisville game, I told the coaches I can't do that anymore. I had to get back to doing the big picture stuff. As much as I was trying to help our team become better, I think there were some things going on with me not being focused on everything that took something away. I went back to really being the head coach, and I think it benefited everybody."

UConn (8-4) won its final five games to win the Big East title and will play Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

CHRISTMAS IN STORRS

One of the perks of playing in a bowl game is the array of gifts the players are allowed to receive. On Monday, representatives from the Fiesta Bowl were at UConn to set up a room where the Huskies could choose their own items.

"The kids are enjoying it; Christmas came to Storrs for them," Edsall said. "They have a department store set up in the team meeting room."

Each player was allotted points to choose from "five or six" gifts of varying value. The NCAA allows this, as long as the value of the gifts doesn't exceed $500 per person. Though there were no specifics, bowl gifts in the past have included items such as iPods, Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation units.

According to SportsBusiness Journal, the Fiesta Bowl also presents a cap, a Fossil watch and Ogio Cooper backpack to every player.

TRAVEL SCHEDULE

UConn practiced over the weekend, but it will take this week off due to final exams. They return to practice on Saturday for five days. Players are allowed to go home following practice on Dec. 22 through Christmas Day.

As it has in the past, UConn will cover airfare for players not in the vicinity to fly from their respective homes to Phoenix. The rest will fly on the team charter, which arrives on the morning of Dec. 26. The team resumes a normal practice schedule in Phoenix.